Obama tears up while addressing staff

A video of US president Barack Obama released by his campaign shows him wiping away tears the day after his re-election as he thanks young members of his campaign staff and volunteers for their hard work.

"I am absolutely confident that all of you are going to do just amazing things in your lives," he told staff members at his Chicago headquarters following his victory over Republican Mitt Romney.

Mr Obama said the campaign team was "so much better than I was" at meeting goals and in effectiveness than he had been as a young community organiser in Chicago.

Becoming emotional, he said his work in running for office had come "full circle".

"Because what you guys have done means that the work I'm doing is important. And I'm really proud of that. I'm really proud of all of you," he said, wiping away tears.

The workers respond with loud applause.

Mr Obama also became emotional in his final rally on election eve in Iowa, as his voice broke and he wiped tears from his eyes as he reflected on those who had helped his campaign.

Gillard thanked

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she had a warm conversation with Mr Obama that has reaffirmed ties between the two nations.

The president phoned Ms Gillard to thank her for her words of support and congratulations.

She was among about a dozen world leaders to receive the call.

Ms Gillard says they discussed the international agenda the two countries share.

"It was great to have the opportunity to speak to him directly to personally congratulate him on his election victory and to commit ourselves again to continuing our work together on the global economy, on all the issues that we share," she said.

It's a fundamental human yearning to be a part of something bigger than one's self, and maybe that's what drove my mate Ash to die, far from home, in a bloody foreign war against Islamic State, writes C August Elliott.